Mapping the Roadmap: Using Action Research to Develop an Online Referencing Tool

In early 2013, the University of South Australia's Roadmap to Referencing online resource was launched. The impetus for developing this resource was to address fundamental questions facing students when they accessed sources online. Taking inspiration from the University of Portsmouth's online referencing resource, this interactive tool helps students to identify the specific type of source they are using and the required reference format for that source.Utilising an action research methodology, this paper provides an overview of the development of the Roadmap to Referencing. It discusses the pedagogical impetus behind this resource and reports on its evaluation using quantitative and qualitative data to gauge its usage and effectiveness. The findings indicate that the resource was well-received and has contributed to students' ability to better reference the various types of sources that they previously found problematic. These findings also show areas for future development and refinement of the resource.